SAN ANTONIO – Update: More than 60 people have reported symptoms of foodborne illness as of Wednesday after dining at Pasha Mediterranean Grill on Wurzbach Road, according to Metro Health. Read more here.
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Nearly one dozen customers reached out to Pasha Mediterranean Grill in the 9300 block of Wurzbach Road and reported getting sick after dining at the restaurant, according to an inspection report from the San Antonio Metropolitan Health Department.
The restaurant’s managers also stated at least two employees had been sick with and reported symptoms of fever and diarrhea.
The manager told Metro Health that raw chicken and beef were discarded as a precaution after it was prepared by food handlers.
Two Metro Health inspectors were spotted at the restaurant Wednesday morning.
"We're just going with what the health department sees. They've spent the past couple days with us, checking everything," said Pasha Director of Operations Bilal Deiri.
"Whether it was something we received or people just getting each other sick, something along those lines, at this point we have no idea," said Deiri.
Other noted issues in the report:
No sanitizing buckets at prep tables
Chlorine concentration too high
Pull out coolers not maintaining proper temperature
Cut, diced ready to eat vegetables did not meet minimum temperature requirement
Improper use of gloves by food handler
Food handler not washing hands between tasks
Food handler using soiled towel to wipe off meat tenderizer
Food handler using soiled towel to wipe off prep table
Food handler seen drinking from open container
Plastic water bottles seen throughout preparation area
Several issues were corrected on-site during the inspection, including the chlorine concentration and missing sanitation buckets.
The inspection also notes an employee called in to work during the inspection and another food handler was sent home and instructed to provide a doctor's note, despite saying he/she no longer felt symptomatic.
The restaurant is currently in compliance with all Metro Health standards.
The last reported food establishment inspection for the restaurant was May 29, according to the City of San Antonio.
Pasha Mediterranean Grill received a score of 78 during that inspection.
One customer who reached out to KSAT 12 on Tuesday said via email that her family of seven people became severely ill after eating at the restaurant over the weekend.
She said family members had symptoms of food poisoning that included nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, excruciating abdominal cramping and fever/chills.
Those who become ill after eating at a restaurant should report their food poisoning to Metro Health by calling 311.
Retail Food Establishment Inspection for Pasha Mediterranean Grill
KSAT has received numerous reports from people who became ill after eating at Pasha's Wurzbach location.
Below are some of the details they shared with us:
"Two of my friends and I ate a Pasha's on Thursday night. My friends became sick within 24 hours. For me it was 48 hours. One became severely dehydrated and his kidneys were starting to shutdown. He is still in the hospital. Lab tests showed salmonella."
"My two friends and I ate there Thursday and all shared hummus and had separate meals. We began to feel bouts of diarrhea and nausea and extreme stomach cramps. Cramps that immobilized us and have been out of work for days. One friend even went to the hospital as a result."
"My family of 7 have been severely ill with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, excruciating abdominal cramping, and fever/chills. We called Pashas to report it this morning and they didn't even know how to spell 'salmonella' and they disregarded the urgency of the situation. I’m afraid that others will eat there and get sick, especially elderly, young children, and immunocompromised people."
"My wife developed her symptoms on the morning of 30th August which was her birthday. By evening, she had developed abdominal cramps and began spiking a fever with chills and shivers... We spent the weekend feeling miserable and assuming that this was an isolated incident that happened with only our food. I got another call from the manager, different than the one I spoke on 30th August, he identified himself as Bill and even during that time he didn't inform that other people had fallen sick with some people reporting kidney failure due to dehydration from the food poisoning."
"I actually overheard someone at the SAT airport this morning talking about how they got sick after eating at Pasha."
"We had takeout from there on Friday night. Husband thought he had food poisoning from somewhere else."
"Myself and 2 friends went Thursday night. Aug 30th we shared a hummus plate and all 3 of us ate the gyro plate for our dinner. One of my friends started getting symptoms as early as Friday morning, it hit me and my other friend at the 24 hour mark. Nausea, diarrhea, stomach cramps, severe headache and flu like symptoms for 3 days. It's been horrible and I'm still not 100%. Fortunately none of us got to the point of having to go to the hospital or anything."
"The past three days have been torturous with fever, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, vomiting."